How to start a Freelance Accounting & Bookkeeping Business for Free!

Starting a Freelance Accounting & Bookkeeping Business for Free is easier then ever. With the advent of the Internet, on-line courses, free tutorials, and the like there is no reason why you can not become a stay at home parent and make money too.

Furthermore, I am a stay at home mom who happens to run a very successful accounting and tax preparation business. I currently attend Ashford University On-Line and hold several accounting and tax certifications. So, I know what I am talking about!

Therefore, I am not going to waist your time or mine with fluff and false claims. Before we are though today you will know everything you need to know to get started to building a profitable Freelance Accounting & Bookkeeping Business for Free.

. I will also give you tips that will assist you in earning more money from home then you could ever earn in a stuffy office building. Your fate will finally be your own. It will be up to you how much money you earn and how much time you wish to put into it.

Moreover, The information contained in this article can also be applied to any business that you wish to start. Furthermore, I will continue to give you tips and updates on new and inventive ways to attract customers, fill orders, and use outsourcing to accomplish your objectives. I will be writing this tutorial as though you never heard the term accounting and you are completely new to the business world. So, for those of you who are more advanced, just bear with us or jump on a head.

Here we go, into the world of the BEAN COUNTERS!

There are many reasons why an accounting practice makes for a practical and lucrative business. In fact, Paul and Sarah Edwards, authors of The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century , rate a bookkeeping service as the "Best of the Best" home-based businesses.

Here's a list of some reasons why that's true:

• Every business is required by law to keep books
• You can earn a good living (the average client will bring in about $300 per month)
• It's an inexpensive business to start (you probably have most of what is required right now)
• You can work anytime, any place
• Expensive equipment is not required
• Rented office space is not required
• Inventory is not required
• You can continue in your current position and make money on the side
• You can make money doing what you enjoy

Not only that, but if most accountants have been trained for less than 1% of accounting opportunities, who is going to take advantage of the majority that remains? Why you , of course.

Let's do the math. We'll assume that a typical Accountant earns approximately $300 a month per client (an average amount).

20 clients X $300.00 = $6,000 per month. That's $72,000 per year.

You control how much you can earn. You can do this business part time or full time. It is up to you and the financial goals that you set for yourself.

I use only independent contractors like myself for several reasons:

1. Low Overhead - you need to keep you overhead low in order to make a successful business that will survive the test of time.
2. Networking - It gives me an opportunity to share the wealth with others who are just starting out. Thereby, giving new accounting business owners the opportunity to gain experience and build up your resume.
3. Sole Proprietor - It allows me the opportunity to classify my business as a Home Based Business which allows me a lot of tax deductions that I would lose out on otherwise.

and many more benefits that are too technical and numerous to mention for the purpose of this Article.

Free Business Tutorial

MyOwnBusiness
Too often people fail in business because they make avoidable mistakes! This free online business course provides the basic do's and don'ts for entrepreneurs. This course is intended for both start-up and already operating businesses.

Anyone that understands bookkeeping/accounting can do books for small businesses on a contract basis.

What You Will Need:

A business license - This can be picked up for a few dollars at you local City Hall. Just contact the license department and they will tell you the exact amount needed.

EIN (Employer Identification Number) - This is necessary to open a business bank account, and to file your business income taxes. It will also be necessary if you decide to add additional services to your business such as Tax Preparation. You can obtain one for free at: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html

Word Of Warning: DO NOT PAY FOR THIS SERVICE IT IS FREE! - A lot of despicable companies out there are making you pay for an EIN and bundling it with their other business services or courses.

You might ask yourself, I can not do this! I lack the formal education to succeed! Well, I am here today to tell you that you are wrong. Being a good Accountant takes dedication, organization, and a willingness to continuous learning. Our industry is always changing. What you know today will be outdated tomorrow. However, the good news is that the world will always need Accountants, Bookkeepers, and Tax Preparation services preformed. I am teaching you the way I learned Accounting (Free).

Free On-Line Bookkeeping Tutorial

Well, what is a BEAN Counter you might ask? It is slang that is sometimes used to refer to a bookkeeper. You must first learn Bookkeeping if you are going to be able to understand Accounting. Therefore, our first stop on our way to opening up our Accountant Business is the tutorial of Bean Counter's Dave Marshall.

Free On-Line Accounting Tutorial

So, now we understand how to be a Bean Counter. Now it is off to AccountingCoach.com. AccountingCoach.com was designed to help people without an accounting background easily understand accounting concepts at no cost.

Free Accounting and Business Courses

Accounting and Business Courses
provided by:
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Small Business Development Center

Their E-Learning site is one of the largest collection of free entrepreneurial training resources available on the internet.

The courses are provided free of charge. However, you do need to register and once you have completed the course you need to complete a short survey. Certificates of completion are also available.

Take a breath, I know this is a lot to absorb. So, just bookmark this hub and go get a cup of coffee....because we are just getting started.

To get certified or not to get certified that is the tough question. I say get certified through the

AIPB — the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers — is the bookkeeping profession's national association. AIPB's mission is to achieve recognition of bookkeepers as accounting professionals; keep bookkeepers up to date on changes in bookkeeping, accounting and tax; answer bookkeepers' everyday bookkeeping and accounting questions; and certify bookkeepers who meet high, national standards. Founded in 1987. Current membership: 30,000.

Who is today's “professional bookkeeper”? Forget about the stereotype recluse who files invoices and writes checks, but has no skills. Part accountant, part tax whiz, part financial analyst. Read this Article

Benefits of Membership in the bookkeeping profession's national association. You get monthly briefings on the latest changes in bookkeeping — and accounting, recordkeeping and reporting, payroll and tax—at no charge. You get free answers to your bookkeeping and accounting questions—and other benefits.

The Certified Bookkeeper Designation. To have the best job prospects, become a Certified Bookkeeper, advises The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook . A workplace survey of Certified Bookkeepers (CBs) shows that:

• 97% of Certified Bookkeepers recommend certification;
• 41% of Certified Bookkeepers have been promoted and/or gotten a new job as a result of becoming certified; and
• 56% of freelance Certified Bookkeepers say certification brought new clients and 33% used certification to raise their rates.

Now, there are other such organizations popping up and charging you an arm and a leg. Do not buy into them, AIPB has been around a lot longer then any other bookkeeping organization out there. I should know, I have been a member since 1988. They offer far more useful information for free then any other company out there today.

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Article(C)2009 - 2010 cluense, all rights reserved. Cluense creates articles and posts online. She creates articles on, accounting, entrepreneur, political issues, small business, society, relationships, taxes, work from home businesses, and Tutorials. She also has a strong passion for writing .